Methodical Madness
by Shattered-Valor
Summary: A collection of stories that follow different Dragonborns and their dealings with the Thalmor. First up: Following a meeting with the Thalmor, the Dragonborn initiates his scheme of exterminating them from Skyrim. However his 'personal' war draws the attention of many unwanted parties and he finds himself in a bind. AU story.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not claim ownership on Skyrim, its original characters or places, only the insane protagonist.**

**I'd like to think of the following story as a beginning of a quest chain. I mean who doesn't want a chain of quests linking directly (kind of/not really) to the Thalmor? But this version is only one side of the story. There may or may not be a continuation or more chapters so...yeah.**

* * *

Dissonance: The Imperial Renegade

Elenwen leaned back in her seat as she eyed the Imperial sitting across from her. His arms were folded on the table, a frown on his lips. Resisting the urge to tell the man to get on with their 'meeting', the High Elf looked around the room. She took note of her guards, making eye contact with Ondolemar. The male elf nodded and walked over to her side. Fully annoyed by the silence, Elenwen sat up straight. Behind her, she could hear some other guards shifting on their feet.

"Alright, _Dragonborn_, care to explain to me why you called this meeting?" Crossing her arms, the High Elf glared at the Imperial.

The man feigned an injury to his chest, "Why, Ambassador Elenwen, you wound me. Here I am, but a lowly Imperial who seeks only to speak with you and you have an entire room filled with guards."

Elenwen groused, "There is safety in numbers."

"Perhaps I should take your fear as a compliment to my abilities." A smirk rested on the raven-haired man's features.

"_Vercius_," Standing beside Elenwen's chair, Ondolemar glared at his friend, "You should take care to not insult Ambassador Elenwen."

Vercius raised his arms up, "On to business then, you see, I came here to talk to you about your beliefs as a member of the Thalmor."

"If you're here to tell us all off, then I'll have you hauled away to the dungeon."

"Been there, done that," The Imperial waved off her threat, "Dungeons aren't necessarily scary, you know."

The Ambassador scowled at him, "You tread on thin ice, _Imperial_."

"I've done that before as well."

"...Just get on with your damn reasons for being here."

Vercius bowed his head for a moment, "You Thalmor strongly disapprove of the worship of Talos because of your loss against him as Tiber Septim long ago. Ambassador, you sent parties out to kidnap, interrogate and kill Talos worshippers. I understand that the White-Gold Concordat 'allows' this. However, I have been traveling Tamriel for a long, long time. I have seen and experienced things that go against your idea that Talos is not a Divine."

Elenwen motioned for some of her guards to stand next to the raven-haired Imperial, "Is that so? Then share with us, these things."

"Surely you jest. I'm sure you've seen these things with your own eyes. Or are you so lost in 'Snoot Ville' you don't even see the reality below you? His amulets and shrines, they grant blessings. During the Oblivion Crisis, the blood scraped off of his armor was used to help retrieve the Amulet of Kings when Divine blood was needed! His blessing allowed the Divine Crusader to enter the spirit world. Talos is a Divine, whether or not the Thalmor like it."

"I was expecting something better than that. But I suppose I can send my associates a message concerning this matter..."

Vercius laughed, "I am no fool, Ambassador. Only _I_ know where his armor is, among other things."

Elenwen sneered at him, "That won't stop us from looking."

"What? You won't even try to beat it out of me?"

"You aren't worth the trouble," The High Elf stood up and rested her hands on the table, "Tomorrow, you shall be publically executed."

"Tomorrow is a day filled with many events then. Isn't the Moot tomorrow?"

Sending a bolt of lightning at the man, Elenwen headed for the door, "The Nords, their customs and events do not matter to me."

* * *

Leaning back in his seat, Vercius winced. Glancing at his right, he could see Ondolemar placing a hand on his arm. The Imperial stood up and let the Altmer bind his hands behind his back. He led him through another door and into the dungeon. _They renovated the place a bit since my last visit here... _Another hand gripped his left arm. Vercius turned his head to see the Altmer he encountered in the Labyrinthian and spared. _Estormo..._

"Is Ambassador Elenwen seriously going to kill me tomorrow? The people of Solitude will be celebrating the Moot, I think."

Ondolemar and Estormo pushed him into a cell, though the former's was more gentle, "Ambassador Elenwen has spoken and will be set on seeing you dead."

Estormo sat down on nearby stool, "Are you as insane as you are merciful? Did you even think this through when you decided you wanted to speak with the Ambassador?"

Vercius settled himself down on the hay, "Seeing you here proves that I can be merciful. Being locked up in the Thalmor Embassy proves I am insane."

"...Vercius, don't assume that I'll help you because you spared my life." Estormo glared at the man.

Vercius shrugged and then leaned back against the wall, "I didn't think you would help me. Either of you. In any case, I am ready to face the consequences of today's meeting, tomorrow."

A sad look passed over Ondolemar's features, "Knowing you was one of my few pleasures in life. I am sad that you will meet your end this way."

"Whatever happened to my haughty Altmer friend?"

The justiciar rolled his eyes, "I take that back."

Pouting, the Imperial looked at his friend, "So you're happy that Elenwen is having me executed?"

"No, that isn't what I...damn you," Rubbing his temples, the Altmer began pacing, "You are the first human I've ever placed my trust in. After spending so much time speaking with you, I believe you've actually affected me. Our discussions usually left me with a lot to think about..."

Vercius's gaze rested on his friend, "I'm glad to have made a bit of an impression on you, Ondolemar. Another accomplishment of mine, considering the fact you grew up with nothing but Thalmor influences."

The Imperial noticed a small smile appearing on Ondolemar's face. As his friend opened his mouth to reply, a soft snore came from Estormo. The other hooded Altmer was hunched over, head leaning against the cell bars. Vercius chuckled at him. The other Altmer in the room left, saying that his companion would take the first shift. _Ah, what does it matter that I have a sleeping guard? I'm not running away._

* * *

**The Following Day In Solitude...**

"My Jarl, did you really need me to tag along? You already have Faleen here with you." A muscled, blonde Nord clad in ebony armor walked beside the Jarl of Markarth.

Jarl Igmund waved away the other housecarl's concern, "Your Thane's house and belongings aren't in any danger. I even received a note from him stating that I could use you if I needed to."

Frowning, the blonde became silent only to have Faleen nudge him, "I didn't think you'd be one to fret so much, Argis. Focus on the task at hand, then you can run back home if you're so worried."

Argis huffed as they entered the Blue Palace.

* * *

Lydia shuffled on her feet next to Irileth as Jarl Balgruuf spoke with Jarl Elisif. Flanking the lady Jarl was Bolgeir and Jordis. Jordis offered Lydia a smile, which she returned. Around the room, the Nord could see some of her Thane's other housecarls. Gregor leaned against a wall, looking bored, while Rayya and Valdimar were engaged in conversation. Downstairs, the doors of the Blue Palace opened. Of the voices she heard, Lydia could pick out Argis, Iona and Calder speaking. _Why do the Jarls have their Thane's housecarls? Certainly the Moot isn't that dangerous. _Before she could ask Irileth what she thought about the extra security, General Tullius walked into the room with Legate Rikke in tow.

Falk Firebeard stood and addressed the gathered crowd, but Lydia shut him out for a moment. Even as one of the priests in attendance spoke, she couldn't help but feel as if something bad was going to happen...

* * *

**At the Embassy...**

Vercius awoke, feeling weak and slightly cold. Looking around, he noticed that his arms were chained to poles and blood stained the snow at his knees. _Wait a minute here..._ Furrowing his brow, the Dragonborn tried to remember what happened. _I remember dozing off in my cell...voices...and a lot of lightning..._ It was then that the man realized he was forcefully dragged out into the cold and tortured. Sighing, he slumped his shoulders. The action caused the chains to rattle, which caught the attention of a nearby Thalmor guard.

"Enjoy your sleep, Imperial?"

Looking down, Vercius noted that they didn't strip him of his armor. _How bloody considerate. _"It was _fantastic_! You should try sleeping in the snow some time. Especially when your arms are bound to poles."

The guard scoffed, "Not in this lifetime."

"You never know what can happen." Vercius heard a door open.

"Is that a threat?" He approached the chained man, "In _your_ position?"

Snorting, the Imperial looked into the elf's eyes, "I suppose it is better than being in your position. Waking up every morning and having to look, listen and deal with _that_."

The guard looked to where the Imperial nodded his head and saw the Ambassador, "A-ah! Madame Ambassador!"

Ignoring the guard, Elenwen glared at her prisoner, "I assume you were talking about me?"

"How _do_ you deal with waking up in the morning anyway, Ambassador? Or your entire life even. Do you avoid mirrors at all times and pay or threaten people to compliment/ignore your looks?" Vercius received a prompt smack to the face with the guard's shield.

"Know your place!"

The Imperial spat at the guard, receiving another smack to the face.

Elenwen crossed her arms with a smug expression, "Now then, Imperial, do you have anything else to say?"

"The point of our meeting yesterday was for me to formally declare my version of war upon you and the Thalmor."

"You have no right nor the power to do so!"

Vercius smirked, "I'm an insane man, Ambassador. An insane man with many tricks and a lot of knowledge. You may decide how this war starts, but I promise you, I decide how it ends."

Elenwen's right hand held a charged spell, "You're starting a war that shall be short-lived."

"Oh really?"

"Foolish man, you have no resources, no army or any significant influence to help you in this so-called war of yours." The High Elf let the spell in her hand fizzle out, "You will die before the news of your 'uprising' reaches the heart of the Dominion."

Smiling, the raven-haired man shakily stood up, "Don't brush me off as a mere nuisance, Ambassador."

"I've heard enough of your nonsense. Guards, get ready to escort him to Solitude. I shall round up the others."

Her prisoner frowned, "Oh how a day of celebration must be ruined..."

* * *

**Some time later in Castle Dour's courtyard...**

"Citizens of Solitude, rejoice! For the great Jarls of Skyrim have gathered here today to crown Jarl Elisif the Fair as High Queen!"

Argis listened as people cheered. He seated himself on a nearby bench as his Jarl mingled with the others. Faleen was following after Jarl Igmund anyway, so the blonde Nord figured he didn't have to worry. Suddenly, Lydia sat beside him and the other housecarls of his Thane gathered.

"Do any of you find it strange that our Jarls asked us to accompany them?" Calder leaned against a wall, drinking from his tankard.

Iona shrugged, "Jarl Maven doesn't tolerate those who threaten her power or ignore her orders."

"It isn't that bad," Gregor yawned, "I just wish there was something more exciting going on."

"It's nice to get out of the house every once in awhile anyway, right?" Rayya took a seat in a chair across from Argis.

Jordis nodded, "We should be honored that we were in attendance during the Moot, even if it's only for show. After all, it has been centuries since the last one."

"What do you have to say on the matter, Valdi?"

The spellsword sent a glare in Argis's direction as he explained to a child that he couldn't turn them invisible.

Argis grinned, "That's what you get for playing with fire."

"Shove it, Bulky."

Lydia sent both of them a warning glare, "Watch what you two say in polite company."

Iona and Jordis snickered at the two men while Rayya rolled her eyes. Calder shook his head at Argis and Valdimar's exchange and then left to refill his tankard. Gregor went to challenge Maul to an arm-wrestling contest. Watching as he left, Argis leaned back in his seat and sighed. Lydia patted him on the shoulder and then began speaking with Iona. Valdimar sent the one-eyed housecarl a half-hearted glare before entertaining himself with ice spells. Once Calder returned, everything just got a bit more interesting. People were shouting. Argis looked around for the source of the shouts and found that not every citizen was in attendance.

* * *

**By Solitude's gates on the execution platform...**

Ondolemar guided his friend up the stairs and then placed him before the chopping block. Looking at the would-be executioner, he noted that it wouldn't be that Redguard, Ahtar. It was a cloaked man. _I wonder why that Redguard isn't overseeing the execution._ Shaking himself from his thoughts, Ondolemar glanced at his blinded friend. Not too long ago, Vercius stated that he wasn't too worried about the execution hood since he's worn one before for fun.

"I hope you end up somewhere pleasant." The justiciar left the Imperial's side as two guards replaced him.

Elenwen was standing off to the side, with five guards surrounding her, "Citizens of Solitude, today you shall see a man face the consequences for his actions against the Thalmor."

In the distance, Ondolemar spotted General Tullius and a few other important figures in Skyrim making their way over to the platform. Apparently Elenwen took note of them as well; she forced a look of composure onto her features. She then motioned for the guards standing before the platform to push back the agitated crowd of citizens before the crowd of officials could try to force themselves forward. A brown-haired Nord forced his way in front of the crowd, but was held back by the Thalmor.

"What is the meaning of this? You elves better have a good reason for holding an execution on a day of celebration!"

General Tullius made his way through the crowd as well, "Ambassador Elenwen, I do hope there are reasons for this execution."

* * *

Tullius eyed the High Elf with a frown as a muffled voice came from the hooded prisoner, "It ends where it began, at the chopping block."

Behind him, the general felt the crowd make way for the curious Jarls and their housecarls. Legate Rikke appeared at his side with two Imperial soldiers behind her.

* * *

Vercius squinted as the execution hood was forcefully ripped off of his head. Shouts of disapproval for his execution erupted from the crowd. The Imperial could see the shocked expressions of his many housecarls. _Why are they here?_ Rolling his shoulders, he turned his attention to Elenwen. She had come to stand beside him.

"This man has acted out against the Thalmor. Today he faces punishment befitting those who do so."

Scoffing, the Imperial looked away from her, "Let me guess what you're going to say next: All of the Jarls are asked to renounce any titles from the prisoner...blah, blah, blah."

One of the guards took their mace and hit the back of his head, "Know your place."

As he heard some people continue to shout, Vercius fell to his knees, "I don't answer to you."

Looking at the crowd, Vercius's gaze met that of the general's, "Does the Ambassador speak the truth, Legate?"

"Yes, General Tullius, she does. I would just like it to be known that my quarrel is with the Thalmor, not the Empire. But I assume that doesn't really matter."

Elenwen crossed her arms, "Is that enough for you to leave the problem to us?"

General Tullius gave the Ambassador a look before looking back at Vercius, "What exactly did you do?"

Before he could reply, Vercius was smacked once more and the chains around his wrists were taut. The guards were now stretching his arms out. Bowing his head, the Imperial took a deep breath. Elenwen walked back to the side, where her personal guards waited for her. Vercius looked to the side and noticed Ondolemar's worried expression and then turned to look at the general.

"I made a declaration of war against the Thalmor. An insane idea, yes. However, I am sick and tired of their rule over us as an Empire. In the end, they will wage another war against us and eliminate us all. If not for belief, than for our race. The peace between us and the Dominion will soon break and in our weakened state, they'll overwhelm us. Some sort of action must be-!"

Elenwen sent a ball of fire at her prisoner's back, "That's enough out of you. Executioner, if you please."

Vercius was hunched over the chopping block. Nodding at the Ambassador, the executioner lifted his axe. Shutting his eyes, Vercius listened as Elenwen spoke.

"This man's titles are to be renounced and all his belongings are to be given to the Thalmor and any person under his employ must be turned into Thalmor custody to be investigated. Any other person found to have been a part of his plot against us or any who refuse to do as ordered will also be executed."

* * *

_Why am I letting myself watch this? He helped me see things in a different perspective. This man is my friend, the only one I've had in ages...I cannot allow this! _Raising his hands, Ondolemar charged a lightning bolt and prepared to hit the executioner. But before the spell was fully charged, the executioner threw his axe at one of the guards that held Vercius's chains. She cried out and crumpled to the floor. Blinking in disbelief of the sudden attack, the justiciar almost let his spell fizzle out. Regaining his composure, he sent his lightning bolt at the other guard and picked up the dead elf's mace.

"Traitorous bastard!" Elenwen cried as she sent her guards to attack.

Ondolemar hurried to his friend's side and prepared to defend him. The Imperial nodded at him gratefully, and then wrapped the chains bound to his wrists all over his forearms. There was still a good bit of the chains left hanging from his arms. Vercius decided to use them as whips, lashing out against the Thalmor guards. The rogue justiciar beside him blasted them away and bashed a guard's head in. Nearby, Ondolemar saw the 'executioner' rip off his cloak. Back swept horns rested on his head and his eyes were reptilian. His entire body was covered in red scales and a wing-like cape was at his back with white, light blue scales.

"**YOL TOOR SHUL!**" A stream of fire left the being's lips (Ondolemar couldn't possibly consider him a man or a mer or an Argonian, even) setting two Thalmor guards aflame and wounded four others.

"Odahviing, leave the Ambassador to me!"

The being, Odahviing, nodded, "As you wish, Zeymah."

As Vercius fought his way to Elenwen, Ondolemar jumped off the platform to distract the guards before the crowd.

* * *

"Take this, Dominion dog!" Vercius swung his chains at the Ambassador, successfully striking her across the face.

Letting loose a string of curses, Elenwen summoned a frost atronach, "This could've been avoided had you kept your damn mouth shut!"

Sneering at her, the Imperial dodged the atronach's arm, "Had you Thalmor released all that air in your heads and accepted reality for what it is, then everything would've been _perfect_."

"You should've just gone q-!" The Ambassador was tripped by one of the Dragonborn's chains.

"**SU GRAH DUN!**" Vercius's swings became faster as he relentlessly attacked the atronach, its summoner and any nearby Thalmor, "If I had gone down quietly, Ambassador, who else would have spoken out against you and still have a chance of winning?"

She glared at him before scrambling away and casting an invisibility spell. As Elenwen left his line of sight, Vercius cursed and focused on the atronach until it crumbled away. Kicking a nearby guard away and then spinning around, he managed to knock three of the Thalmor down. Turning to deal with some of the other guards, one of them ran him through. The air left his lungs as his grip on his chains loosened. Everything slowed down for him. Vercius stared at the blade in his abdomen and then looked to his assailant. Clapping the sides of her head, he kneed her and then kicked her face in as she fell. Then time returned to its normal state. Hearing a yell behind him, Vercius ran backwards. Listening to the sounds of fabric and flesh being torn through, he elbowed the body away from him and stepped forward. His lips were formed into a pained smile.

Vercius fell to his knees and wriggled the elven blade out of him. Once that task was done, blood came pouring out of the wound. Inhaling sharply, he let loose a few bursts of the spell 'Fast Healing', which seemed to not be fast enough. When he thought he healed the wound enough to stop the flow of blood, the Imperial stood up. Carefully wrapping an arm around his stomach, he twirled the elven sword around and then struck out at a nearby Thalmor agent. Looking around, he saw Odahviing claw his way through the guards. Giving his draconic brother a weak smile, Vercius readied his sword arm. Scanning the bloody mess, he tried to find Ondolemar and failed.

"Zeymah, we must get out of here and see to your wounds!" The humanoid dragon tackled a Thalmor down and used his claws to tear him apart.

Vercius impaled a guard that tried running at him, "Not to mention fix my armor. I mean...damn. I really like this chest plate too..."

Rolling his eyes, Odahviing grasped a guard's head and gouged her eyes out with his thumbs, "Are you not concerned about that wound?"

"I've lived through worse, Zeymah, this won't be too much of a problem." Striking down the last of the guards that were on the platform, Vercius scanned the area, "But losing track of Elenwen will be. Could you fly overhead and see if you can spot her?"

Odahviing unfurled his wings, "I shall be quick. So long as you are certain of this decision."

The Imperial waved him off, "Go. I can deal with things down here."

As the dragon took off, his brother jumped off of the platform. Backstabbing a guard and then sending a fire bolt at another, Vercius made his way over to Ondolemar. General Tullius and Legate Rikke cut down some other guards and any other able-bodied fighters were able to distract others. Seeing as the others had the Thalmor distracted, the Dragonborn tugged at Ondolemar's sleeve and made their way towards the gates. Examining the Altmer, Vercius could see tears in his friend's robe and a few cuts along his face. However, the rogue justiciar showed no signs of exhaustion.

"**LAAS YAH NIR!**" The shout-whisper* left the Imperial's lips as he looked about the area, "I can't seem to sense the Ambassador anywhere...wait!"

Ondolemar turned his gaze to where the Dragonborn was pointing, "She's going to use that tower's stairs to get outside the city."

"Let's go stop her while we still have a chance!" Before Vercius could make it two steps, Ondolemar gripped his arm.

"You need to heal that wound first."

Frowning, Vercius looked to the bleeding hole in his gut and then took ahold of his friend's arm, "That isn't one of our priorities. C'mon, we have to get going, Ondolemar."

The elf's protests were drowned out by the Dragonborn's shout, "**WULD NAH KEST!**"

* * *

Hearing his Thane shout, Argis turned his head to see a blur headed over to one of the towers. Seeing Lydia being one of the few fighters that wasn't engaged in battle and a person he trusted, Argis called out her name. The other Nord hurried over to his side. Her eyes searched the area for someone and Argis assumed she was looking for their Thane.

"I saw him head over to that tower over there. If we hurry, we might be able to help stop whoever he's chasing."

Lydia narrowed her eyes in determination, "I'm right behind you."


	2. Chapter 2

**I realize I marked something in the previous chapter and didn't explain why I marked it, but I didn't really know how to describe that particular shout. And...I kind of forgot to finish that particular chapter. This is the other half of it, but at the time of publishing the story I believed that would make the beginning a bit too long. But this chapter/half is pretty lengthy by itself anyway...**

**Oh well, read and review please. ^.^"**

* * *

Dissonance: The Imperial Renegade Pt. 2

Stumbling down the stairs, Vercius cried out, "Argh!"

"I told you, your wound needs to be tended to!" Ondolemar latched onto the Imperial's arm before he could fall any more, but saw that they were already outside, "Let me heal that and then we can follow Elenwen."

Shaking his head, Vercius pushed him away, "Focus! We're here to stop Elenwen. After that, I'll begin the next phase of my little war."

"At the rate things are going for you, Vercius, this 'little' war will become a full-scale one."

"Not if we get to Elenwen." The Imperial stubbornly pressed on, "With luck, she might not have sent word out to the Dominion."

Ondolemar helped steady the man, "How are you so sure? She could've sent a courier out last night."

Vercius scoffed, "She didn't even take me seriously during our 'meeting'."

"You don't know the Ambassador well enough."

"And _you_ do?"

"...Not in any intimate way, mind you." Ondolemar glared at the infuriating Imperial.

Before he could snicker, the Dragonborn was jabbed in the side, "ACK! That hurt, damn you!"

Snorting, the rogue justiciar kept walking, more or less dragging the Imperial along, "I have problems that are much more pressing than yours, Imp."

The Dragonborn shook his head and scowled, "Be that way, Mister Supercilious."

"Hold still," Slowing them down, Ondolemar placed a hand near Vercius's wound.

Before the healing magic could wash over him, the stubborn man pushed Ondolemar away. Glowering, the mer crossed his arms and kept his distance. Vercius sent him a trenchant look before he strode on ahead. Up ahead, they could see Elenwen being intercepted by Odahviing. A few paces behind them were heavy footsteps. Latching onto Elenwen's arm as she stumbled back, the wounded Imperial turned her around and looked into her eyes.

"You are quite a handful, Ambassador."

She slapped him with a hand bathed in flames, "Unhand me!"

Ignoring the pain, Vercius kept his hold on her, "Listen to me, Dominion ass kisser. This war is between me and the Thalmor, no one else. You will _not_ harm any other person."

"You sound as if you'll let me go." Elenwen continued to wriggle her arm free, "What if I don't agree to that?"

His reply was delivered in a low, gravelly voice, "I will gut you slowly and use a spell that shall keep you alive for every single second of it. You will feel agony as I rip your intestines out and use them as a bloody jump rope!"

"If I agree to your terms, you shall let me go?" The Ambassador stopped struggling and eyed the man warily.

"The only reason I'm letting you go now is because I cannot enjoy killing you at the moment. You shall run free for a time and I shall remove my existence from the world as you prance about all you want. This war has started, Ambassador. You just need to make your move. Remember, _you_ can 'officially' start this little war in any way you want, but _I _decide the ending."

Elenwen scoffed, "You are a fool. The Thalmor will crush you like the insect you are! We will torture you, dismember you and scatter your body across Tamriel, but your head will be sent to the Dominion. All that awaits you at the end of your endeavor is death."

Vercius loosened his grip on her arm, falling onto his knees, "If you can find me, dog, then feel welcome to dismember me yourself. But you'll find me a force to be reckoned with. Argh..."

"Only a fool dares to stand against the Dominion!" With that, Elenwen ran away with Odahviing's fire breath licking her heels.

Groaning, Vercius dropped onto his side. He felt himself being turned over and saw Ondolemar's worried face. Dazedly, the Imperial attempted to look at his wound. It looked a lot worse than when he healed it. Furrowing his brow, the one-eyed man rested his head against the ground. He could see Odahviing loom over him with two other faces entering his vision. Through a half-lidded gaze, he could see the rogue Thalmor's glowing hand near him.

* * *

**A few days later...**

Waking to the sounds of distant chatter, Vercius slowly opened his eyes and softly groaned. Sitting up the best he could, he saw his redheaded housecarl snoring in a chair not too far from his bed. _Did they bring me to Proudspire Manor? Or was everything I experienced a dream?_ Examining the bandages on his bare torso and feeling a large bandage on his cheek, the Dragonborn dismissed the thought. Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, he got up. A wave of pain ran throughout his body. Vercius chose to ignore his body's blatant warning signs and went to see who else was in his home. Before exiting his room, he went to put on some clothes to cover his torso. _It'd be rude to walk in front of my guests shirtless._

Pulling out a grey tunic from his wardrobe, Vercius lifted the article of clothing over his head and then pulled it down. He grabbed a dark purple coat from its resting place on the corner of his weapon rack and slipped it on. Glad that the task wasn't as painful as when a sword was run through his chest, the man made his way over to the stairs. He could barely make out the sounds of his seven other housecarls. Pausing to listen, he heard Odahviing make a comment about something that happened. The sound of laughter followed. Vercius grinned as he picked out Ondolemar's laughter mixed in with that of his other housecarls.

"Now don't go changing the subject here, Odahviing," The Imperial listened as Jordis spoke, "Can't you tell us why Vercius decided to pick a fight with the Thalmor?"

"I'm afraid not. Zeymah has refused to explain to me his reasons for this endeavor." Odahviing sighed, "I assume he won't explain why he spared the Ambassador."

Someone exhaled sharply through their nose, "If he had the chance to get rid of the problem right then and there why didn't he take it?"

"I'm sure Vercius has some sort of insane reason, Gregor," Rayya assured him.

Gregor's armor clinked as he moved, possibly to cross his arms, "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Ondolemar," Lydia's voice carried throughout the house, "are his wounds still...being difficult?"

Silence fell over the room as they waited for the elf's response. Wanting to hear more for himself, Vercius crouched down and sneaked his way down a few more steps. Occasionally the sound of someone snapping could be heard, followed by a brief crackle of fire. The Imperial snorted at Valdimar's habit of lighting his index finger on fire. _Whether you're nervous or bored, you turn to that one magic trick._ Vercius shook his head and listened for Ondolemar's voice.

"I've done the best I could to help him, but now all Vercius needs is a lot of rest and to drink a lot of water."

Iona seized the next chance to pose another question, "Any idea about what he meant by starting the 'next phase' of his war?"

"I only know that he needs to take care of Elenwen before any other action is to be taken."

More armor clinked, followed by a heavy sigh, "I hope he isn't serious about continuing this by himself or removing his existence from us. Where would he even plan on going anyway?"

"Is it possible that he plans to move closer to the Dominion?" Valdimar's voice responded to Argis's question, "Vercius might want to do so."

Lydia's armor clanked, "Moving himself closer to his enemies would be suicidal."

"And convenient. It'd be a situation that can be tilted in either party's favor. The Dominion would be able to overwhelm him if his location were found, but Vercius is cunning. He'd be able to keep out of their sight and might even weaken their forces over time." Odahviing observed, a thoughtful tone in his voice.

"He might not even be able to pull it off in this lifetime!" Argis interjected, "Vercius is only one man after all."

Ondolemar hummed in agreement, "Yes, he is only one man. However, he is a selfless man. The fool wouldn't dream of asking any of us to accompany him or raise an army to follow his lead."

"How close to the Dominion's lands do you think he'll go?" Rayya wondered softly.

Vercius made his way all the way downstairs and then turned to enter the basement. His friends' concern made his heart twist and the thought of leaving them for good damn near broke it. But Ondolemar was right, he would never bring himself to ask them to follow him to their deaths. The Dragonborn smiled somberly. He's asked them to risk their lives enough already. _They've sacrificed a lot to help me on my quests. The least I could do is leave them here with a good amount of gold. Disappear from their lives and no longer cause them any trouble..._ Shaking his head, Vercius made his way over to one of the weapon displays.

"Time to put you back into use...both of you." Gently tapping the pommel of the sword against his palm, a crack appeared on the fanged blade, "Dawnfang, Duskfang, aid me now in this day and age. Help me strike down my Empire's oppressors and sate your thirst for blood."

As if responding to the man's whispered plea, the sword glowed. The heavy blade changed its form until he could feel two handles in his grasp. Taking the second blade into his left hand, Vercius examined the weapons. Both kept their fanged appearance and had a dragon like hilt, wrapping around the handle and lining the straight edge of the blade. Duskfang, the blade in his right hand kept a large, diamond shaped purple jewel at the center of its hilt and an orange jewel as its pommel. Dawnfang had a large red jewel with a blue jeweled pommel. This was possibly because the swords were supposed to be together. The jewels signified their connection with each other.

Vercius turned to go pry his armor off of one of the mannequins only to bump into Odahviing, "Shit."

"What are you doing out of bed?" The dragon crossed his arms and scrutinized the Imperial.

Shrugging, the man placed the swords against the wall, "The usual thing, Odie. I'm sneaking about the house, though its a bit strange that I have to do so."

"It might not be yours for much longer," Odahviing sighed, "The High Queen has asked that you see her and General Tullius at the Blue Palace as soon as you're able. Oh, and have I ever told you that I hate that nickname?"

"Possibly," Vercius walked over to a mannequin and stripped it of his armor.

"What do you plan on doing after your meeting with the High Queen?"

The Imperial took off his coat, tossing onto the mannequin's head as he attempted to put on the cuirass, "I'm still making my plans as we speak, Odie. Tell you what, you leave me alone to get ready and I might tell you my plans later."

Odahviing made his way to the stairs, "Operative word being 'might', hm? Very well then. Ondolemar and your housecarls have gone out to get some fresh air, just so you know. But, I lost track of Calder..."

"He's asleep upstairs. Now get out of here!" Tossing the cuirass to the side as the dragon left, the man decided that it would be best to get the greaves on first.

* * *

**Blue Palace...**

General Tullius frowned at the Imperial standing before him, taking in his appearance. He was clad in a metal version of the Penitus Oculatus's armor, with some of his own additions and alterations to the set. A dark purple scarf was wound around his neck. The older man sighed and then took a seat on one of the nearby benches. Vercius shifted nervously on his feet.

"Why in Oblivion would you do something so stupid?" He could see the raven-haired man flinch.

Regaining his composure, the Dragonborn met his gaze, "I have my own reasons. If it makes any difference to you, General, I shall do everything in my power to keep Elenwen focused on me."

Tullius's expression remained stony, "You let her go."

"I beg your pardon," Vercius raised an eyebrow and glanced about the room, "I don't see how that concerns you."

"Elenwen has probably sent word for reinforcements. How could you let her out of our grasp so easily?"

"_Our_ grasp, Sir?" The other Imperial began pacing, "With all due respect, General, this is _my_ war. How I deal with things isn't your concern."

"As a matter of fact, Legate," Tullius stood up from his seat and grabbed Vercius's collar, "It _is_ my concern."

"If you're worried about this causing problems with the Empire and its 'peace' with the Dominion, I can assure you, the peace will be held as long as it can. You can name me a threat to the Empire or something, right? That'll remove any reason for the Thalmor to attack for a bit..."

Elisif cleared her throat, "The political problems that may arise aren't our concern, Vercius."

Vercius turned his gaze onto the High Queen, "I see... The 'politics' should concern you, Your Highness."

The general released the man, "Have you even thought this through? Waging a war on the Thalmor by yourself?"

"To the best of my abilities," Fixing his collar, the Dragonborn took a few steps away from the other man, "I know that my plans aren't perfect."

"And what exactly are your plans?" The High Queen settled herself further back into her throne.

General Tullius regarded Vercius carefully as he spoke, "Once Elenwen has been dealt with here, I'll be setting up some outposts to make sure the Thalmor stay out of Skyrim."

"Are you going to hire thugs to keep watch over the land for you?" Elisif's eyes narrowed at her Thane.

"That wouldn't be necessary. I'll send some soldiers to help him," The general's claim seemed to irritate Vercius.

Huffing, the Dragonborn resumed pacing, "You'll get in trouble with the Empire! They'll consider it an act of treason or something. Just stay out of this. I've already got my Wellsprings set up anyhow."

"Wellsprings?"

"An insane man uses insane means to win his war." Vercius stopped pacing, turned to face the general and crossed his arms.

Sybille, Elisif's court mage, narrowed her eyes at him, "Are you getting help from a Daedric Prince?"

Shrugging the one-eyed man looked at her, "I'm just helping myself."

"What are these Wellsprings?" Tullius watched his subordinate's expression change from irritation to a forced calm.

The other man walked over to a wall and leaned against it, "The Wellsprings are...fountains. I've only set up two of them, seeing as that's all that shall be necessary. They'll help the...daedra that I'm going to bring into this realm."

* * *

_Divines help me..._ Vercius rubbed his temples as he heard the High Queen inhale sharply. Gaze flickering to the court mage, he could see the look of consternation on her face. General Tullius had gone quiet. Releasing a shaky breath, the Dragonborn slid down against the wall he was leaning against and rested his head in his hands.

"Whatever you're planning to do with the daedra is dangerous." Finally Elisif voiced her concerns, "It would be another Oblivion Crisis! Are you willing to risk losing the world to yet another Daedric Prince?"

Looking up at the ceiling, the Imperial sighed, "Would it make you feel any better to know that these daedra answer directly to me?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Please," Vercius's voice was barely above a whisper, "Trust me. There is a method to my madness."

The general wore an unreadable expression, "It is only a matter of time when the Thalmor will decide to wage another war on us. Seeing as you've already gone off and started your 'own' war, we might as well pitch in. With you in our ranks, the Empire could win this time."

"I am only one man, General," The raven-haired Imperial exhaled sharply, "Just because I'm involved doesn't mean I'll create that much of a difference."

"You helped stop the civil war and have Ulfric spared; I think you can help manage another war."

"On a larger scale, Sir? Another war with the Thalmor could span across all of Tamriel! There is no way I can help the Imperial Legion."

Tullius huffed, "I'm not asking you to be at every single battle, and I remember you having a partner in your missions for the Legion. Wasn't he another Dragonborn?"

Shrugging, Vercius shut his eyes, "I lost track of him during a dragon attack on Markarth."

"Sorry to hear about that."

"I...I think this discussion is over. Here is the deed and key to Proudspire Manor...I've left a good amount of gold to Jordis and discharged her of her service to me."

The High Queen's gaze was critical, "I don't believe Jordis would have liked that idea."

The Dragonborn chuckled weakly and got up, "That's why I left a letter to her back at the manor. Congratulations on your appointment as High Queen, Your Highness."

Elisif remained quiet as Tullius spoke up, "Whether you like it or not Legate, I'm sending some of my men to help you!"

"If you can find out where I am that is." Smirking back at the officer, the Imperial leapt down the stairs and left the building.

* * *

**Just outside Solitude's gates...**

Hearing the gates shut behind him, Vercius slung a large bag over his shoulder and began walking. Sniffing the air, he detected a familiar scent close by. A friend that shouldn't be there. Turning his gaze to the left, the Imperial saw Ondolemar. The hooded elf had some bags resting near his feet.

"Are you planning on moving into Solitude? I think a house might be on the market."

Scoffing, the elf picked up one of the bags, "The other bags don't belong to me and I don't think the High Queen will be selling that house for a while."

"She'd be a fool not to," Vercius replied coolly, "and don't you dare think I'll let you tag along."

Ondolemar rolled his eyes, "I never thought you would let me. So, I decided on following you anyway."

"...We shall see if you can even keep up with me." Sniffing the air, the Imperial eyed the bags, "Are the housecarls heading home?"

"Are _you_ heading home?"

Frowning, the Imperial looked back at the elf, "I have no home now."

The rogue Thalmor adjusted the bag around his shoulders, "Then you have your answer."

"My dealings with you and them are done. There is no further need to be associated with me!" Vercius glared at the mer.

"Don't be stupid! You facing the Dominion alone is like...letting a dragon bite your head off." Ondolemar returned his glare, "But enough of that subject, for today. I want to discuss your wounds."

Sighing, the Imperial's gaze softened. He turned away and crossed his arms. To his left, Vercius could hear Ondolemar take a step closer to him. Reflexively the Imperial snarled at the approach. After all, the mer was blindsiding him. Shutting his eyes, the man listened as the mer took a few steps back. _One step forward, three steps back._

"Thank you for taking care of my wounds, to the best of your abilities."

Ondolemar's response came at least a minute later, "...Did you just snarl at me?"

Vercius turned his head to gaze at his friend, "Is the high and mighty Altmer having a bit of trouble understanding such a concept? You approached my blind side."

"Ah, of course... My apologies." Another moment of silence, "Now about your wounds, I wasn't able to heal them. The only thing I could to was bandage them up. Do you have any explanation for that?"

"I take it you haven't trained much in the school of restoration?"

"There was no real need to, but I was taught the basics." Ondolemar replied, walking around to have a face-to-face discussion.

The Imperial scoffed, "Yet the basics are mainly focused on your own being."

Shrugging, the mer smirked, "Are you shocked in any way? After all, we're the _Thalmor_, a bunch of self-righteous, self-absorbed asses and whatnot. Be glad that some of the basics included healing others."

"Not really surprised, but I can say that I'm glad." Vercius chuckled, "In any case, the reason you couldn't heal me at all is because I am...undead."

Ondolemar kept quiet and looked the Imperial over.

"Remember when I said that I've been traveling Tamriel for a long, long time?"

"I'm finding it a bit difficult to understand you, Vercius, not remember things!" The mer replied heatedly.

"Don't get your holier-than-thou breeches in a bunch," Vercius raised his arms up, "The thing is, I'm a vampire."

Looking away, the rogue Thalmor exhaled sharply, "I see."

Deciding to expand on the subject and fill the air, the Imperial continue, "Vampirism has its perks, you know. I'm good at illusion because of it, learned a lot of abilities over the years...like the one I used a few days ago. So, I let myself get stabbed in the chest and used it to kill someone behind me. Due to some 'vampire training', I am quite resilient. If only the same could be said of my mind... I foolishly thought that I healed myself during the battle..."

"Figures," Ondolemar commented.

The Imperial wore a confused expression, "I beg your pardon?"

"Of course you'd be stupid like that."

"Damn you, elf," Vercius shook his head and began walking down the road.

Ondolemar's hurried footsteps were behind him, "You're not getting away that easily. Did you think your vampirism would drive me away?"

"I hoped it would..." The man whispered before speaking up, "What about the others' bags? You can't leave them unattended."

"Of course we won't leave them unattended." Vercius felt a hand grip the back of his collar, "Come back this way, you insufferable fool."

"Release me! I-I...ack...you have no right to force me to wait for people I don't want help-ack!" Ondolemar yanked him backwards, causing the man to fall onto his rump.

"Sit here and we'll wait for them."

Vercius glared at the mer and stood up, "No."

"Just wait a few more minutes damn it," Ondolemar narrowed his eyes, "That's all I'm asking of you."

"...**WULD NA KEST!**" The Imperial dashed away, further down the road.

* * *

Frowning, the mer walked after the man. A large shadow passed over him. Ondolemar stopped and looked up to see Odahviing flying overhead. The dragon flew over to Vercius, wrapped his arms around him and then flung him back towards the gates. The Imperial cried out as he crashed into the gates. Looking at his friend, the mer winced and made his way over to the gates.

"That's one way to get you to stay in one place..." Ondolemar stood over the man.

Vercius got up, staggered over to the bags and fell down, "My bloody head hurts now! Stupid overgrown lizard..."

The rogue Thalmor took a seat next to him, "So, vampire resilience helped you in this situation?"

"Somewhat," The Imperial replied, lying on the ground, "It still hurts like crazy though."

"How exactly are you not burning up right now?"

"Are we playing twenty questions or something?"

"Answer the question." Ondolemar glared at his companion.

"The sunlight burns me slowly," Vercius paused, "Drinking blood helps me become less affected by it."

"You've been asleep for days, wouldn't you have needed to...drink from recently?" Subconsciously, the spell-caster rubbed his neck.

"I keep a bottle of blood in my bag and hidden in my houses, so I don't really need to go find a sleeping 'victim'."

Ondolemar's eyes widened, "How do...? So you...? A bottle of someone's blood?"

"Filling the air with pointless questions to pass the time," Vercius sighed, "Mostly bandits or other foes I've encountered. With the right enchantments on the bottle, the blood is good for least a week."

"I didn't need to know that," The Altmer shuddered, "Since you have a group of people traveling with you will you ever try to-?"

"No, as long as I can help it."

"I see."

Ondolemar felt the Imperial's gaze on him, "Why are you on my side, Ondolemar?"

Crossing his arms, the elf remained silent.

"Ondolemar, answer the question."

"What is there to say about the situation? You are my friend."

"Surely you would have more friends within the Dominion," The Imperial turned his gaze onto the sky, crimson eye turning green, "I doubt one friend would make you switch sides."

The spell-caster watched as the man's body emitted a light blue glow and muttered, "...Unless you were my only friend."

Vercius sat up, "What was that?"

"Nothing." Ondolemar lied, "Why don't you go lie in the shade?"

The Imperial eyed him, "I'm too tired to do so."

* * *

**Hours later...**

"I can't believe Elisif was made High Queen..." Vercius leaned against a tree, rubbing his chin, "The Empire will have too much influence on her. Even if Tullius has good intentions and the Emperor is...gone... Members of the Council are shrewd and cruel..."

A soft snore left Ondolemar's lips. Snorting, the Imperial gazed at his napping companion. _The others better have a good reason for taking their bloody sweet time..._ The raven-haired man began pacing.

"If Chancellor Ocato hadn't been killed...I wonder how much of a difference he could have made within the Empire. If Martin hadn't been so selfless...or if he actually had the time to raise an heir of his own... So much has happened over the years." Shaking his head, Vercius rolled his shoulders back and began walking towards the stables.

A distant cry overhead alerted the Imperial of a nearby dragon. Sighing heavily, the Imperial ignored the flying lizard. _It won't attack me. It won't bother to attack me. It'll ignore me. _The dragon's cry became louder. _Divines damn it, it'll ignore me. _A large shadow was cast over him. Vercius breathed a curse as the dragon circled over the city. _Go away, bloody dragon. I have no intention of carrying around your useless scales... _As if in response to his thoughts, the dragon roared and dove into the city.

Vercius's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to shout, only to see the dragon fly back up and away, "Bloody dragon..."

Turning back to head towards the stables, he crossed his arms, "If I had been at the Moot, I would've suggested Balgruuf for the throne. He isn't easily swayed by anyone and has his own mind about things..."

Looking back towards the gates, Vercius saw a guard nudge the sleeping spell-caster with his foot. The Imperial smiled and continued down the path. Reaching his destination, the Dragonborn stopped before the carriage. Peering around, he saw the balding Thaer tending to his horse. Pulling out some coins from his pouch, Vercius approached the Nord.

"Evening, Thaer. Could you take me to Markarth?" Vercius presented him with a handful of septims.

"Of course I can. Go ahead and climb in back."

* * *

**Back at the gates...**

"Hey, elf!" The guard nudged the sleeping Thalmor once with his foot, "Elfie! Oy, sleeping beauty!"

Ondolemar rolled over in his sleep.

"Knife-Ears*! Hey, your friend is leaving you."

"I don't...want..." The mer mumbled as he reached out and held one of the bags close to his chest.

Sighing, the guard returned to his post, "Bloody elf..."

Just then, the gates opened. There the guard saw a group of people, each carrying more bags than humanly possible. One of them, a Redguard, made her way over to the sleeping elf. She kicked the rogue Thalmor's bum with the toe of her pointy, _pointy_, armored boot. Letting out a loud (and manly) shriek, Ondolemar scrambled onto his feet.

"Where's Vercius?" A bald Nord, wearing armored robes bearing the spiraled motif of Hjaalmarch made his way over to the cursing elf.

The other bald Nord was hauling some of the bags that were laying around onto his back, "Doesn't anyone else think that we're going a bit too far with 'be prepared for anything'?"

"Oh, don't start complaining about the extra weight Gregor. Our Thane isn't here to listen to us gripe about it anyway." A brunette rolled her eyes.

Ondolemar glared at all the Nords present, "Was it really necessary for you to kick me, Rayya?"

"Just grab a bag and tell us where that troublesome Imperial went," Gregor crossed his arms.

"Humph," The mage looked around, "He was here a minute ago..."

Releasing an exasperated noise, the nearby guard leaned against the gates, "That's what I was trying to tell you! Your friend left."

"What?" One of the members of the group gently tossed a bag at the elf, which he failed to catch.

"That's...a problem..." Rayya muttered.

The Nord clad in armored robes looked at his one-eyed companion, "What do we do now, Bulky?"

'Bulky' glared at him, then turned to the guard, "Can you tell us where he went?"

"I think I heard Thaer's carriage riding off. Don't know which direction it was headed though..."

"Thanks anyway," Turning to the brunette, Bulky sighed, "Where do you think he'd go next, Lydia?"

Lydia narrowed her eyes in thought, "We could try the nearest Hold. The quickest way to 'remove' himself from Skyrim would be to deal with what's closest first, right?"

"That'd be too easy..." Ondolemar scratched his chin, "He could've gone anywhere really. But, I suppose heading to Morthal is the best chance we have of catching up to him."

"Off to Morthal then!" Gregor began marching down the path, with the others in tow.

* * *

**On the road to Markarth...**

"So what are you up to now?" Thaer glanced back at the Dragonborn.

Vercius rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the floor of the carriage, "Oh nothing much. I'm just planning on visiting all the Holds."

"Visiting, huh? Seeing anyone special in a particular Hold?"

The Imperial chuckled, nervously picking at his collar, "W-what? Me seeing anybody? Ha, that really isn't my thing..."

Thaer snorted, "Have you got a problem with commitments?"

"For your information, Thaer, I happen to be very committed to my businesses, my friends and the Jarls! I have no problems with commitments. Besides, since when were you curious about my personal life?"

Shrugging, the Nord glanced at the sky and leaned back in his seat, "Certainly the Dragonborn himself would have considered settling down now. I've heard that most of Skyrim's problems are solved, in one way or another. Why don't you just let the younger generation deal with everything from now on?"

Vercius scratched his cheek, "I...I'd rather not have this conversation with you, Thaer."

"It'll be a quiet journey then."

"I can deal with the silence." _If only my mind would grant me such pleasure._

* * *

**Knife-Ears* - Dragon Age reference anyone?**

**Long time no update, huh? So what do you think? Please leave a review. Suggestions or constructive criticism is appreciated.**


End file.
